Blower



Y15111. 6, 1940. F. Q REGGIO LowER Filed May v, 195s s sheets-sheet 1 f1 92T' 6l6` l 36' 7% 46 l if? 24 70 44 642 5% J) Rg j J 38 5015*@ I 20 62 I 68 72 3 70 3450 Z I 6g 62 g 5fo @oo 6 Wxg) 66 I 642 ze 1| W 412%? 1| J d g2 46 5'? @27 W7/lll; O 116 742 7W 1542 730 l 75g 86 36 l l; 756

34. 32 g j/gf *9 9 9,@ 742 f lNvENToR 7gg" 6.19%.;

F. C. "REGGIO Feb. 1940.

BLQWER Filed May 7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet. 2

' l INVENTOR Feb. 6, 1940. F, C, REGGlo A2,189,252

BLOWER Filed May '7,1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 d) 7;?4 INVENTOR j WHW Patented Feb. 6, 1940 t UNIT/ED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLOWER Ferdinando Carlo Reggio, BuflalofN. Y. Applicatnfn. May 7,1938, serial No. zoans" 9 claims.Y (C1. 23o-114) I'his invention relates to centrifugal blowers justment of the impeller corresponding to maxivand more particularly to the type used as supermum capacity; Fig. 15a is another fragmental chargers or scavenging; blowers for internal comlongitudinal section as in Fig. 15 but-showing bustion engines, and in so far as the subject mat- Y the adjustment for minimum capacity; Fig. --16 ter is common, isacontinuation in part of my apis a section on the line |6l6 of Fig. 15 with 5 plication led June 7, 1937, Serial No. 147,715. certain parts removed to show the impeller; Fig. 'I'he principal object of the present invention 16a is a sectionon the line |6a-I6a of Fig. 15a; resides in the provision of a centrifugal blower Fig. 17 is' a fragmental longitudinal section or supercharger whose delivery characteristic can through a third modiiledform of the invention,

be varied independently of its rotational speed. showing the adjustment of the impeller corre- 10 A further object of the invention resides in sponding to maximum capacity; Fig. 17a is anthe provision of a' centrifugal blower including `other fragmented longitudinal section as in Fig. an impeller of adjustable outer diameter and F17, but showing the adjustment for minimum means for controlling said diameter, thus vary- Capacity; Fiel 13 1S a Section 011 the 11112 laf-I3 ing the capacity of the blower. of Fig. 17; and Fig. 18a is a section on the line 15 With the above and other objects in View, which IBaf-la .of Fig. 17a. will appear as the description proceeds, my in- In one of the preferred forms of the invenvention consists in the novel details of construction an impeller shaft 20, carried in a. housing 20 tion and arrangement of parts described inthe 22 by a pair 0f ball bearings 25. 25,1S driven fIOm following specication and illustrated infthe acan engine, not shown y,in the drawings, by means 2 0 companying drawings; and While I have illusof a gearl 28 and a pinion 30 keyed on the shaft tra-ted and described the preferredembodiments 20 for this purpose. of the invention, .as they now appear to me, it One end of the shaftl 2|l is provided with a will be understoodtthat such` changes may be flange 32 to which are attached by means of madeas fall within the scope oi the appended screws 3d, 36, -several elements 38 forming the '25 claims. In the following description and in the rigid part of the impeller. At the outer periphery claims various Vdetails will be identiiied by speofthe iiange 32 anannular rim 40 centers the clc names for convenience, but they are inrear ends of the elements 38 and holds them tended to be asfgeneric in the application as the against the yaction o f i the centrifugal force. A art will permit. screw 44, tightened on an end piece 42, holds the so In the drawings: rims 46 formed at the front end of the elements Fig. 1 is a fragmented longitudinal section 38, and serves to reenforce the impeller. through one of the preferred forms' of the in- 4`The elements 38 do not extend to the axis, but vention showing the adjustment of the blower leave a hollow cylinder in the center of the imcorrespondingtoj maximum capacity; Fig. 1a is peller. Between each pair.of adjacent elements 35 `another fragmental 4longitudinal section as in Fig. 38 a clearance space 58, shown in Fig. 3a, is pro- 1 but showing the adjustment corresponding to vided, extending from-the inner cylindrical cavity minim capacity; Fig.'2 is a section on the line to the outer diameter of the impeller. Slidably 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental section on mounted in each of said clearance' spaces 58 there l0 the line 3-3 pf Fig. 1 with certain parts removed is a flexible blade 48 made, entirely or in Dart, Gf '40 to show the impller; Fig.CJ 3a is a fragmental resilient material such as thin metal sheet. section on the line v3a---3a of Fig. la; Figs. 4 and The inner ends of the bladesA 48 are tangentially 5 are perspective views lof one1 of1 the impeller secured by means of rivets 50 to a drum ,52 roblades in two different adjustments; Figs. 6, '7y tataby mounted in the centralv cavity of the im. and 8 are sections on the lines 6- 6, and peller, said drum being prevented from. axial dis- '45 8-8 respectively of Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is a sectionpn placement by abutments 54 and 56 formed in the the line 9-9 of Fig. `1; Fig. 10 is, a fragmental impeller 38 and in the impeller shaft 20. AS longitudinal section through a modified form of shown in Figs. 3 and 3a, afterl leaving tangenthe invention showing theI adjustment of the tally the Surface 0fA drum' 52, the blades 43. impeller corresponding to maximum capacity; guided in the .clearance spaces 58, are curved so 50 Fig. 10a is 4another fragmental longitudinal secas to assume, fromithe section line 8--8 outwardtion as in Fig. 10 but showing the adjustment for 1y, a substantially radial direction. Beyond said minimum capacity; Flg. 11 is a section on the line 88,the blades 48 arecurved lateraly so as `line lI-II of Fig. l0 with certain parts removed to assume, at the outer end of the clearance to show the impeller; Fig. 11a ls a section on `the line l ILL-Hal of Fig. 10a; Figs. 12, 13 and 14 the outer diameter of 'elements 38, the blades exare sections on the lines I2|2, |3-I3 and tend, laterally curved, up to 'their outerend, `l4l4,)respectlvely of Fig. 11; Fi'g. 15 is afragwhose section is shown in Fig. 6. mental longitudinal section through another` A perspective view of a free blade 48 is s'hown 60 modiiied form of the invention showing the adlin Fig. 4 by the unbroken line. In dotted line oo spaces 58, the section shown in Fig. 7. Beyond slide simultaneously in the clearance ously, rotation of the drum in the opposite direc-- tion causes the outer diameter of the impeller to be increased. f Fig. 5 shows the form assumed .by

the blade of Fig. 4 as the impeller is adjusted for splines 84 and 88 being charges it at its periphery the diiuser, each vane minimum capacity. The blades 48 are laterallycurved to lessen the impact of the air on the blades as it enters, and 'to increase the rigidity of that portion of the blade that extends unsupported beyond the clearance space 58. While the impeller is rotating, the centrifugal force increases the stiffness of the blades and eliminates any danger of bending. vIn fact, the inertia force capable ofv acting perpendicularly on the blades 48 as the impeller .rotational velocity is being changed is very low owing to the extreme lightness vof the blades; and the load exerted onA the blades by the impact of the air and by the unequal distribution of the air pressure is negligible in comparison with the centrifugal force atl the high rotational speed of modern centrifugal blowers. Furthermore, thin sheet material such as laminated steel, possesses such high mechanical properties that the peripheral speed'of the impeller, when adjusted for maximum diameter, can befar in excess of the peripheral speed attainable with conventional light alloy solid impellers.

Both the impeller shaft 20 and the central member or drum 52 are hollow and contain a control rod 82 provided at one` end with helical splines 64 which flt corresponding splines 88 on `the inside of the impeller shaft 20, and at the opposite end with helical splines 88 which ilt helical splines 'l0 on the inside of an extension 12 of the drum 52. The pitches of the helical different, an axial displacement of the control rod 62 causes relative rotation of the impeller and of the drum 52, which in turn causes the outer diameter of the impeller to be changed.

In thev blower, shown in Fig. l the impeller, which receives air at its'central portion, disto a diuser provided with" vanes |02 in which velocity of the air is converted into pressure. A diEuser designed for use with an impeller of given rotational speed is not equally elcient with an impeller of another` diameter.

In Fig. 1 the space 98 forming the diffuser lies between two parallel walls 98 and |00 of the casing. A'plurality of vanes |02 are placed in |02 being formed integrally with two short shafts- |04 and |08,and rotatably mounted in the casing members 88 and |00. Fixed on each shaft |08 whose teeth engage the teeth of an annular gear ||0 rotatably carried by a circular rim ||2 of the casing 22 and maintained in place by a snap ring ||4. A lever H6, fixed to one of the shafts |06, is `connected by means'ofa rod ||8 with a'lever 88 fixed to the shaft 88 and rotates with the lever 90 for varyingthe diameter of the impeller. Y Y

It will be noted that if the blades 48 are tapered as shown in some of the drawings. the thickness wall 02.

v.to the control rod 82, the

of the alitow |38 of ,walls |28 and |28 must be such diameter at given |08 there is a pinion aisaasc of the impeller at any given radius will change as the blades 48 are moved in and out and the diameter of the rotor varied. To compensate for the change in thickness, the impeller .casing is arranged to move in and out as the impeller diameter is decreased or increased. This is accomplished by mounting the side 32 of the casing on the ends of three or more among the short shafts 94 which are provided with helical splines interengaging helical splines of the brackets |20 carried by the movable wall 92. So that changes in impeller diameter cause simultaneous changein the angle of all the vanes |02 of the diuser and axial displacement of the wall 92 whereby the proper clearance is maintained between the impeller blades 48 and the An annular flexible wall |22 joins the edge of the movable wall 92 to the fixed portion 00 of the casing, prevents leakage and allows relative displacement therebetween.-

Centrifugal force acting on the blades 48 when the impeller is rotating results in torque applied to the drum `52 .towhich the blades 48 are tangentially secured, said torque tending -to increase the diameter of the impeller. In order to balance said torque in all positions of the blades and at all speeds so that no reaction be transmitted drum 52 carries a head |24 located in a cylindrical cavity comprised between the impeller 38 and the impeller shaft 20. The head |24 contains two non-circular peripheral walls |28 and |28 against the inner contour of which a pair of cylindrical weights |30 can roll, as shown in Fig. 9. Each ofy these weights can slide radially between the arms or jaws |32, located in a prised between the |32 being formed walls |26 and |28, said arms integrally with the impeller shaft 20. When the impeller is rotating the centrifugal force of the weights |30 tends to rotate the head' ,24, 'and the Y Fig. 9, thereby exerting on the drum 52 a torque tending to reduce the diameter of the impeller. If.thewalls |28 and |20 defining the path of the weights |30 are of the proper shape, the torques transmitted to the drum 52 by the centrifugal forces of the blades 40 and of the weights |30 will be in equilibrium.

It can be shown that the inner shape of the Y that the path of the center of the weights |30 in contact with them is given by the equation: l

2 a 9 1 ,p0 L

Where:

p is the distance from the axis;

is the angular displacement in radians between the drum 52 and the impeller shaft 20, assuming 6:0, for instance, when the impeller is adjusted to its minimum diameter;

m is the total mass of theweights |30;

M, function of is the torque exerted on the The value of M can easily be calculated for several values of and may always be obtained graphically.

In Fig. 9 the yoke |32 shown insunbroken line corresponds to the adjustment of the impeller one side or wall 82 ofy cylindrical cavity |34 com-v drum 52, in the direction usl giving maximum diameter, in which adjustment the blades 48 occupy the position shown in Figs.

1 and 3; and the yoke shown in dotted line corresponds to the adjustment shown in Figs. 1a and 3a.

It may be noted in Fig. 1 that the axially slidable control rod 62 is connected with both the impeller shaft 20 and the drum 52 by helical splines. By a suitable choice of the pitches oi the two sets of helical splines it is possible to eliminate or balance out certain inertia effects. When the impeller is being accelerated or decelerated, there are inertia forces in the blades 48 having components transmitted to the drum 52, inertia forces in the drum 52 and in the head -1` |24, and inertia forces in the control rod 62 and thrust bearing 16. All of these inertia Iforces form couples tending to rotate the drum 52 and the axially slidable control rod 62, and give rise to axial loads in the control vrod 62.

These forces might interfere with maintaining or securing the proper adjustment, and impose additional load on theI thrust bearing 16. It is therefore desirable to eliminate these inertia effects. This can be done by properly choosing the pitches of the two sets of helical splines 64 and 68 so that. the above mentioned inertia forces and the forcestransmitted by the splines balance out or neutralize. To secure this result, the ratio of the pitches of thetwo sets of splines should' be:

where:

nonrotatably connected therewith, such as the Y.

outer race of the bearing 16;

I2 is the moment of inertia of the drum 52, oi' the head |24 plus that portion of the moment of inertia of the blades 48 which acts upon the drum .52.

With the ratio of the pitches iixed by the above equation, the pitches can still be chosen so as to give a suitable relation between axial displacement of the control rod 62 and rotation of the drum 52. i

- While the adjustment of the impeller diameter' can be obtained by directlyoperativng the control lever 90, an automatic device is shown in-Fig. la, such as may be applied to a blower supplying lcompressed air to an airplane engine.

A pressure regulator is provided, to operate the lever 80. This regulator includes a metallic bellows |38 sealed under vacuum and provided with a spring, not shown, adapted to expand said bellows. This bellows acts directly against a similar bellows |40 connected by means of a duct |42 with the collector |44.; These two bellows act on a lever |46 to operate pistons |48 and |50 which control the admission of a compressed uid to opposite sides of piston 152 whiclr.X in

' turn operates the lever 90. The compressed fluid,

usually oil fro-m an.enginedriven pump, is led into the pipe7 54v and returns to the engine crankcase through conduits|56 and |58. The surrounding atmospheric pressure acts on the two 'bellows in opposite directions so that any change of pressure in the collector |44 operates thel bellows |40 and in turn varies the diameter of the impeller and returns the pressure in collector |44 tothe predetermined value, independently of any variation in atmospheric pressure such as that due to altitude.

A manual control |60, connected with the lower point of -lever |46, is provided, whereby the value of the .pressure automatically maintained in collector |44 may be adjusted. It is to be noted that, for a' given position of the manual control |60, the absolute pressure in collector- |44 will have a constant value independently` of the changes, within the designed limits, of the surrounding atmospheric pressure.

A blower having a double-inlet impeller is shown in Figs. l0 to 14, wherein parts similar to those already described and shown in Figs. 1 to 8, and-that it is considered unnecessary to again describe in detail, are indicated by similar numbers. The form of the blades 49 of the impeller having double inlet is similar to the form of the blades 48 already described: they are laterally curved to insure stiinessof their unsupported projecting end. Both sides of the blades being tapered, the impeller chamber is dened by two movable walls 9| and 93. Air enters the housing through a lateral opening |62, reaches the impeller through the two inlets ,|64 and |66 and is projected by the impeller into the diffuser |68, not including vanes, and in the collector |44.

Figs. 15 to16a show an alternative'construction of impeller having double inlet in which the impeller elements 31 extend outwardly to guide thel blades 41 along their whole radial development, whereby said blades 41 do not require the samelstiiness as the blades 49 of Figs. 11 to 14.

`Thus the blades 41 are not curved laterally. I-Iowiiange 32 of the impeller shaft 20. The wall |12 hasa central opening, or inlet, through which air enters the impeller. Impeller elements 39 deflect the air as it enters, Iand. together with elements 4| form distance piecesbetween walls |10 and |12'. Walls 12 and |10 and elements 39 and 4| are rigidly assembled and secured 'to the flange l32 by means of screws |16 andv |18. Bef` tween adjacent elements 39 there are clearance spaces |80 conta two exible blades |84. and between adjacen elements 38 and 4| there are clearance spaces |82 containing one flexibleV blade l84. The inner surfaces of walls |10, |12 are provided with grooves |86extending from the clearance spaces"|82 to the outer diameter of the walls |10, |12. Sixteen exible blades |84 tangentially secured to the drum 52 and adapted to slide inl said clearance spaces |80 tnd |82, and

in the grooves |86, define eight channels |88 of substantially uniforn section extending from the impeller inlet. Radial length of said channels |88 and peripheral velocity at vtheir outer end may l be adjusted by means of relative rotation of the rigid part of the impeller and the drum 52,. By'

the impeller air is projected into a diffuser a constant thickness, no movable wall is provided in the impeller housing.

These embodiments of the invention have been shown merely for purpose of illustration and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention. It is, therefore, to be expressly understood that the invention'is not limited tothe specific embodiments shown, -but may be used in vvarious other ways, in connection with other mechanisms and regulators, and various modifications may be made to suit diiferent requirements, and that other changes, modications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the construction, arrangement and manner of operation of the parts within the limits or scope of the invention as dened in the following claims.

What I claim is.:

l.l A centrifugal blower including an impeller chamber, a rotatable impeller therein, a member coaxial with said impeller and capable ofA rotating relatively thereto, exible blades slidably mounted in said impeller, said blades having their inner end tangentially secured to said member and their outer end projecting in a substantially ra- Ydial direction, means for rotating said member peller may be adjusted to maintain constant at a predetermined value the pressure of the uid delivered by said blower.

4. In combination, a centrifugal blower including a rotatable impeller, iiexible elements slidably -mounted in said impeller and having outwardly projecting ends adapted to slide in a substantially radial direction relatively to said impeller and inner ends adapted to be angularly displaced relatively to said impeller about the axis thereof, means for varying the angular adjustment of said inner ends relative to said impeller whereby the elective outer diameter of said impeller may be changed, and pressure responsive means operatively connected with said first mentioned means whereby the pressure of delivery of said blower may be maintained substantially constant independently of changes of the intake pressure and of the rotational speed vof said blower. A l

5. In combination, a centrifugal blower including "a rotatable impeller, flexible elements slidably 'the' effective outer diameter of said impeller may be changed, pressure responsive means, and a servo-motor controlled by said pressure responsive means and operatively connected with said rst mentioned means whereby the absolute pressure of delivery of said blower may be maintained substantially constant independently of changes of the intake pressure.

6. In combination, a centrifugal blower including a rotatable impeller, exible elements slidably mounted in said impeller and having outwardly projecting ends adapted to slide in a substantially radial direction relatively to said impeller and inner ends adapted to be angularly displaced relatively to said impeller about the axis thereof, means for varying the angular adjustment of said inner ends relative to said impeller whereby the effective outer diameter of said impeller may be changed, pressure responsive means, and control means, said first, second and third mentioned means being operatively interconnected whereby the pressure of delivery of said blower depends on the adjustment of said control means and is substantially independent of the intake pressure within the designed limits.

'7. A centrifugal blower including an impeller chamber, a rotatable impeller therein, exible elements slidably mounted in said impeller and angularly spaced about the axis thereof, said elements having outwardly projecting ends adapted to slide in a substantially radial direction relatively to said impeller andinner ends adapted to be angularly displaced about said laxis relatively to said impeller, and means for simultaneously varying the angular adjustment of said inner ends relative to said impeller while the latter is rotating whereby .said elements may be caused to slide in said impeller'and the effective outer diameter of said impeller may be varied.

8. A centrifugal blower including an impeller chamber, a rotatable impeller therein, ilexible adjustable elements slidably guided in said impeller, said elements having outwardly projecting unsupported portions adapted to slide in a substantially radial direction relatively to said impeller and inner ends adapted to be angularly displaced relatively to said impeller about the axisrthereof, and means for varying the angular position of said inner ends relative to said impeller whereby the adjustment of said elements in said impeller may be changed, the outer parts of said elements being laterally curved ona length that varies upon changes in said adjustment of said elements to secure stiffness.

9. A centrifugal blower including an impeller chamber, a rotatable impeller therein having at least one axial inlet opening and lateral 'walls extending radially beyond said opening, flexible elements slidably mounted in said impeller and having outwardly projecting ends adapted to slide between said walls and determining passages extending substantially radially from said inlet opening, saidelements having inner ends adapted tobe angularly displaced relativelyto said impeller about the axis thereof, and means for simultaneously varying the angular adjustment of said inner ends relative\to said impeller whereby said elements may be caused to slide and thereby the radial length of said passages may be varied.

FERDINANDO CARLO REGGIO. 

